Ten Kiogen in English/The Fox Hill

Master.—I am one who lives in this neighborhood. This is a fruitful year, and my rice-field, through every drill, does splendidly. There’s no satisfaction like it. But as I hear that a flock of birds gathered on Fox Hill lately, I will call both of my servants and let them drive the birds away. Oh, say, both of you, are you there?

Two servants.—Yes.

Master.—You there?

Two servants.—Right before you.

Master.—You have come so soon! My reason for calling you is to tell you that this is a fruitful year, and my rice-field, through every drill, does splendidly, and I have no satisfaction like it.

Taro.—Truly, our rice-field, through every drill, does splendidly. It is a great satisfaction even to us.

​Master.—That is only from your being diligent. I think of it, and am glad especially.

Taro.—We are fully rewarded for our toil to be thought thus of by you. We feel very grateful.

Master.—Now, then, I have something painful to tell you.

Taro.—What is it, then?

Master.—It is nothing but that a flock of birds gathered on Fox Hill lately. I feel sorry to ask you, however, but you must go there, and drive them away.

Taro.—All right, sir. But such a thing is work for children. Please, send some of them.

Master.—That’s true. But a child cannot be sent since I hear that some evil fox appears on Fox Hill. And it is already night. I am sorry to send you there.

Taro.—All right, then.

Master.—Just be waiting there.

Two servants.—Very well.

Master.—I give you this call-bell to drive the birds away with.

Two servants.—Very well.

​Master.—I have built two huts for you. Both of you go into them.

Two servants.—Very well.

Master.—Now, go.

Two servants.—Yes.

Taro.—Oh, say, say!

Jiro.—What?

Taro.—Well, this is a fruitful year, and our master’s rice-field, through every drill, does splendidly. There is no satisfaction like it.

Jiro.—So it is. It is a joy.

Taro.—And he said that it was due to our diligent toil. Isn’t it grateful?

Jiro.—Truly! Our toil is fully repaid. It is a great satisfaction indeed.

Taro.—Now. Shall we go there before it grows dark?

Jiro.—Really. Let us go more quickly!

Taro.—Now, come on, now, come on!

Jiro.—I am coming.

Taro.—Is’nt it quite fearful since we hear that the evil fox will appear at the Fox Hill?

Jiro.—As you say, it’s quite fearful.

​Taro.—Now, | will let you have this call-bell.

Jiro.—No, no, you should keep it as the master left the matter with you.

Taro.—Well, you are so particular. We are both entrusted with it. So you take it.

Jiro.—Then, I will take it. Give it to me.

Taro.—Very well. Now, come on, come on!

Jiro.—I am coming.

Taro.—Doesn’t it make you mad to think that the birds may spoil the rice-field we toiled so diligently in?

Jiro.—As you say, it is a sorrowful matter to be spoiled by the birds. Now, I will hand the call-bell over to you.

Taro.—Why you are so particular? You will carry it as it is only a short way now.

Jiro.—No, no, I have had it already as long as you have had it. This is your turn, you take it.

Taro.—Then, let us take it, without a quarrel, in your hand and mine!

Jiro.—Verily that will be good.

Taro.—And wouldn’t it better to begin to drive the birds away right from here?

​Jiro.—lt will be good. (Taro and Jiro ring the call-bell with their hands.)

Taro and Jiro.—Hoi, hoi! Hoi, hoi!

Taro.—What a myriad of birds!

Jiro.—A myriad of birds indeed.

Taro.—There they are coming.

Jiro.—All right.

Taro and Jiro.—Hoi, hoi! Hoi, hoi, hoi!

Taro.—Well, now, it is Fox Hill already.

Jiro.—Indeed, this is Fox Hill.

Taro.—Where are our two huts which the master said he had built!

Jiro.—Where are they? I cannot see them as it is dusk,

Taro.—Well, here is one of them.

Jiro.—Then, another one should be near here. Where is it? Oh, here it is!

Taro.—Well, then, let us go into the huts and drive the birds away! I am going into one of them now.

Jiro.—And I too will go into mine.

Taro.—Oh, say! Doesn’t it make one mad to have such a well-done rice-field like this spoiled by the birds!

​Jiro.—As you say, it does make one mad.

Taro.—There they are coming.

Jiro.—Truly, they come in vast numbers.

Taro and Jiro.—Hoi, hoi! Hoi, hoi, hoi!

Taro.—There they fly away. Well, well, what hosts!

Jiro.—Indeed, they are numerous.

Taro.—They are only birds. But if such numbers of birds eat, our toil shall be turned to nothing.

Jiro.—Really it is so!

Taro.—There they are coming.

Jiro.—Very well.

Taro and Jiro.—Hoi, hoi! Hoi, hoi! Hoi, hoi!

Master.—I sent off my two servants to Fox Hill. The night is long and cold, I am going to take sakè to them now. They must have been lonesome. Now, then, this is Fox Hill. Hoi, Taro Kaja! Jiro Kaja!

Taro and Jiro.—What?

Taro.—Somebody is calling.

Jiro.—I think so too.

Taro.—It must be a fox. Be sure to be watchful!

Jiro.—Very well.

​Taro.—Oh, say, say, listen to it well. Isn’t it our master’s voice? It is strange.

Jiro.—Indeed, it is strange.

Taro.—But we must answer him.

Jiro.—Yes, we must answer him.

Taro and Jiro.—Hoi, hoi! Hoi, hoi! Are you our master?

Master.—Yes, are both of you there?

Taro.—Yes, we are here. How do you happen to come here at such an hour as this?

Master.—The night is long and cold. I have brought you some wine thinking you would like to drink.

Taro.—Why, we are grateful for it. Now, come over here, and look at your rice-field.

Master.—All right!

Taro.—Jiro, just come here!

Jiro.—Very well.

Taro.—How well the fox masqueraded!

Jiro.—Indeed! It is just like our master.

Taro.—Be sure not to take his wine!

Jiro.—I will not be stupid.

Master.—Taro Kaja! Jiro Kaja! Where are both of you?

​Taro and Jiro.—We are here.

Master.—Where have you been?

Taro.—The flock of birds appeared just now, and we went to drive them away.

Master.—Well, well. What trouble! Now will you drink?

Taro.—Hand your honourable saké this way.

Master.—I will pour out the wine for you.

Taro.—I will be greatly honoured.

Master.—Here, I believe, there is enough saké.

Taro.—Here’s enough. Oh, master, a flock of birds come into our rice-field from between the mountains.

Master.—It must be so. (While he looks afar, Taro throws saké out.) Now Jiro Kaja, you drink too!

Jiro.—Very well, sir. Oh, here’s enough.

Master.—Enough there?

Jiro.—Oh, master, look at that forest. A flock of birds come from there also.

Master.—It must be so. (While he looks afar, Jiro throws saké out) Taro Kaja drink again!

Taro.—I am grateful. Oh, master, not only a flock of birds but a monkey and a wild boar also ​come here frequently since this is on the mountainside.

Master.—It must be so.

Taro.—Look over there! Something appeared.

Master.—Where?

Taro.—It hid away somewhere.

Master.—Now, now, you drink.

Jiro.—Very well. Look over that rice-field! What a flock of birds!

Master.—Indeed, what a flock of birds! Now, now, Taro Kaja, drink again!

Taro.—I will drink once more.

Master.—That will be good.

Taro.—Oh, master!

Master.—What?

Taro.—Our field is growing so fresh as you see, and the ears of the rice-plants are long, but, look at another field over there! How poor it is!

Master.—Indeed, the field beyond ours looks especially poor. Now, now, drink once more.

Jiro.—Very well. Oh, master, look at that mountain!

Master.—What’s the matter with that mountain?

​Jiro.—A large flock of birds appear like that.

Master.—Indeed, that’s a large flock of birds. Well, then, don’t you want any more?

Taro.—We will not have any more.

Master.—You, too?

Jiro.—I will not take any more.

Master.—Now I will go home. To be here alone on such a long night will be lonesome for both of you. But as it is a sorrowful matter to have the rice eaten by a flock of birds when we are so near to the harvest, I wish you would drive them away diligently. I will let both of you rest well after our harvest. (Taro stands up.)

Taro.—Oh, say, come here.

Jiro.—What?

Taro.—What a good masquerading!

Jiro.—As you say, it is just like our master.

Taro.—As the fox hates smoke, I think that we will try to make his real form clear by fumigating him, and take him as our gift to our master.

Jiro.—Verily that will be good.

Taro.—Be sure not to be stupid!

Jiro.—I will not be stupid.

​Master.—Oh, say, say, where are both of you!

Taro and Jiro.—Here we are. There! The flock of birds appeared just now, and we went to drive them away.

Master.—That were a trouble.

Taro.—Say, speak Koon!^[1]

Master.—What?

Taro.—Speak Koon!

Jiro.—Show your tail!

Master.—What are you doing? (Taro and Jiro smoke him up with pine-leaves.)

Taro.—Speak Koon!

Jiro.—Why don’t you show your tail?

Master.—What are you doing with me?

Taro and Jiro.—What are we doing? Why! We will make you our gift to the master. (Taro and Jiro tie him up with the rope of the call-bell.)

Master.—Oh, say, ’tis I.

Taro and Jiro.—Are you our master? Ah, excuse us, excuse us!

Master.—You are malicious fellows. You treat your master like this. Your future will not be a happy one. Catch them! I will not allow them to escape.